Ticket
Distractions, Subterfuge, The Trend
15th June 1978

“The Trend were a pop band from the Tameside area led by the charismatic Mark Revell from Stalybridge.They had a single out around the time of this gig called 'Everyone Has A Teenage Crush'.I can't remember the rest of the band though.Before The Trend he was in local heavy rock band Legend and I believe that he played at the Station in Ashton not long ago.”

“I have a single by The Trend - "Polly and Wendy", released by MCA in 1980. I'll scan the cover when I get round to it.

Night Visitors played at least one gig with The Trend, at Derby Hall in Bury in 1980.”

“Big Block......The Trend were well known around the Ashton area(especially among the girls)and rumour has it that this song was written about two sisters who went to their gigs.Not to make it too obvious who the song was about(although it was),one of them had her name changed to Polly.In reality,'Polly' used to flog fake S.U. cards and I erm......er.......took Wendy out once,the second time her mum phoned me up to say she was ill !!.Happy days.”

“Subterfuge were a great band. Started off doing Black Sabbath covers If I recall correctly.”

“If I recall correctly, Subterfuge were like a poor man's Rush”

“I always thought Subterfuge were a bit like a cross between A poor mans Magazine and XTC.
As a committed punk at the time I thought they were a bit too arty. By which I mean they knew how to play their instruments! (no street cred in that in those days)
I saw them a couple of times and played on the same bill at Wilton Street in Denton with them once. Most of them went to Audenshawe Grammer I think.
I know David Thompson who I knew from Town Lane did. I am fairly sure Kevin Driscol was a member too but he was an ex Two Trees Boy.”

“I think a poor man's Magazine / XTC sounds better than a poor man's Rush playing Black Sabbath covers !”

“Well it was more an impoverished peasant's Magazine/XTC as opposed to a temporarily financially embarrassed Rush IIH (WIA).”

“I used to see The Trend regularly at the Spread Eagle in Ashton-Under-Lyne and The Gransmoor in Openshaw. A brilliant live band, like a really good Boomtown Rats, they couldn't transfer the energy onto record. They were signed by MCA and did a tour with, Would you believe it, Wishbone Ash!”

“I saw The Trend in a big pub in Salford, Eccles ??
during '81 when they had a weekly gig, and I remember a song which I still sing the chorus today,
Routine, Routine, have yourself a Routine.

my mate from that era Steve Guiness from Dukinfield was a mate of the band so I ended up seeing them playing around South/East Manchester.

Mark sang on an Icicle works 1990 album, which proves the old 6 degrees of Separation theory.
all roads lead to Bob Dylan. !”

“Phil Hartley of Subterfuge is back gigging around Manchester with a great singer (seen at the Thirsty Scholar and due to play in Didsbury). 2010 seems to be another year of the reunion what with The Distractions also back - 'Black Velvet' EP available for digital download with a limited number of CD promos. See Occultation Recordings website (www.occultation.co.uk) for details of how to order, and keep an eye on www.thedistractions.co.uk/home.html for news of the forthcoming 12" single and CD album in 2011.”

“Subterfuge were from Haughton Green / Denton. Dave Thompson Vocals and piano / keyboard. Phil Hartley Guitar. Graham Partington Bass. Mike Barlow Korg Synth. Kev Driscol Drums. We just played our own music & because we had a synth we were compared to Magazine! Not punk, not rock more a mix of each other influences Roxy Music, Soul and Funk, XTC, Teardrop Explodes, Wire and Bowie. After recording a 5 track demo at Cargo Rochdale - which Tony Wilson liked. We played 4 gigs - The Factory / Russell Club supporting Patrick Fitzgerald, Wilton Street Chapel Denton with Dislodge, Abdominal Pain, Hyde Town Hall with the Distractions and the Trend, A Youth club in Ashton (along Oldham Road) with the Closed. Then we split into two groups - Pink Industry (Mike/Phil/Graham and Ross Cain from Abdom Pain) and Electricity (Dave/Kev and 2 other people). Pink Industry got rid of Ross Cain and got Neal Diarmid on Drums and changed their name to Night Patrol and then Twilight Zone.”

“Graham Partington (Ex Subterfuge) now records for Metal Postcard Records under the name Graham Domain - music is in the vein of David Sylvian, Roxy Music, Scott Walker, Nick Cave - all albums and EP's are on Spotify, Apple music, Metal Postcard Bandcamp, Itunes and other streaming platforms .”